Saturday, January 12, 2013

re: DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: >>>Just curious: has anyone had anything to say about the Dusty Springfield show that is currently running Off-Broadway? I'm on the fence about seeing it. I missed the reviews for "Forever Dusty", so I don't know what the critics think. My gut tells me it stinks, yet I feel compelled to see it. (Ping) >>>I recently had a visit at my second job from a friend who had seen the Dusty Springfield musical. Their reaction was the music was done surprisingly well, that they did not realize all the songs Dusty had done, and that it did not mince words about her drug / alchohol participation. (Shelley) After we mentioned the Off Broadway Show "Forever Dusty" a few days ago, I heard from Jonathan Vankin, one of the co-writers of the show. (The OTHER co-writer is Kirsten Holly Smith, who also stars as Dusty Springfield in the program!) He sent me a link to their official website, which also features some RAVE reviews about this performance. (Looks like shows are already booked through March ... so if you get the chance to see this, by all means check it out and report back to us!!!) BIG Dusty fans here ... and wish we could get out to see it. If any of you do, we would love to hear back from you! Check out the "Forever Dusty" website here: Click here: Welcome to Forever DustyAnd our Forgotten Hits Salute to Dusty Springfield from a few years back right here: Click here: Forgotten Hits - DUSTY SPRINGFIELD

re: FORGOTTENHITS.com / TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT: Hey Kent and the gang!Happy 2013 and best wishes to one and all!Happy 50th anniversary to Marcie Blane, Seville Records, and "Bobby's Girl" - always loved that song for obvious reasons! We miss you, Paul Leka ... you had a hand in so much wonderful 6Ts Top 40 and would-be Top 40 recordings -- Steam, Lemon Pipers, Salt Water Taffy, Palace Guard, the list goes on and on ... and I remember playing "It's The Magic In You Girl" the 1st few times without a clue that it was slated for the A side, remarking that the riff sounded just like a Dennis Yost / Classics IV song, and then having the damn thing grow on me. I never liked it nearly as much as Na Na, Hey Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye, but I kept spinning it for its soothing soft-pop sound and persistent catchy melodies.Bobster

Hi!

A friend just pointed me to your site, and I'm fascinated!

I happened upon this mention on your site:

>>>BOYCE AND HART's last entry into The American Top 40 was a GREAT little tune called ALICE LONG. This one went to #16 in Cash Box but stopped at #27 in Billboard. (It was a #6 smash here in Chicago and it just happens to be one of MY favorite BOYCE AND HART records, too!) kk

I had to check my WLS surveys, and you're right (I shouldn't have doubted), it got to #6.

It was also a favorite of mine, largely because I was in love with a girl named Alice that very same summer it was released. I gave her a copy of the 45, and I wonder if she ever comes across it and thinks back to those days!

I'll be exploring your site in much more detail!!!

Kevin Killion (another KK)

Glad you're enjoying Forgotten Hits ... and "Alice Long" is a GREAT suggestion for our "Today's Forgotten Hit" feature! Be sure to check out our current site, too! (kk)

And here's a BONUS Today's Forgotten Hit ... heard this one today and just HAD to share it! (kk)

Thanks for the story on The Tradewinds ... I'll let Pete and Vini know about it.

Best,

Rick

After FH Reader Tom Diehl sent us the EXCELLENT Dave Edmunds tribute version of "London's a Lonely Town", he ALSO sent us this EXCLUSIVE KRLA Version that The Tradewinds cut, circa 1965 ...

Hi kk,
Thanks for completing the list of the Top 50 All-Time Favorite Garage Bands.
I can't help but smile to see the Strangeloves in this list. It appears that after nearly fifty years, producers Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer are still pulling the wool over our eyes.
Dann

By the way, the other day we pointed out some of the highlights on our archive site ... and today we ran some stats ... here are The Top Ten Most-Viewed Articles on the site:

Just thought I’d drop you a line to let you know that I’m carrying on a 16 year old tradition of presenting an end of the year “Rock’n Roll Heaven” special paying tribute to those artists who left us in 2012.

The show went out first over the New Year period on Radio Caroline and a lot of other stations, but there will be some repeats over the coming weekend.

It’s a two hour part of my “Stafford’s World” show that you can hear on the following stations this weekend.

Oldies Paradise continues the fight to preserve those “Forgotten Hits” from the 60’s and 70’s and keeps playing music from one of the biggest radio station music libraries in the world!

Easy Rock Paradise is a brand new sister station to Oldies Paradise, playing music from the early 60s through to today from the slightly softer side of rock. We call it “Rock Music Without The Headaches”!! Look out for lots of “Forgotten Hits” here as well.

I let Mike Dugo know ... he's the one who wrote that bio. Looks like he had the city right ... but in the wrong state. (Probably because when one thinks of Greenwood, you think of Mississippi!) The correction has been made. (Cool bio page on The Swingin' Medallions!) kk

And (of course) The Rolling Stones!!! (Still waiting for official cities and dates to be posted ... but it sounds like all of the final details are being worked out as I type this. Stay tuned!) kk

B.J. Thomas Records New Versions of His Hits with Richard Marx, Keb' Mo', Vince Gill, Lyle LovettB.J. Thomas has gone the duets route with his upcoming album, The Living Room Sessions, due this spring from Wrinkled Records.
On the new album, Thomas is reimagining such songs as Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, Most of All, Rock and Roll Lullaby and I Just Can't Help Believing with the likes of Richard Marx, Steve Tyrell, Keb' Mo', Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett and Issac Slade of the group The Fray.
Thomas talked about the project, saying "In the studio, everything was real simple and organic, and we didn’t labor on anything too long to get things right. Mostly, it was a lot of fun. There were some great, surprising moments as well, particularly the performance from Isaac Slade and the dynamic vocals by Keb’ Mo’. He is so much more than a blues musician. He originally wanted to do Hooked On A Feeling, but I wanted to save that for Sara Niemietz, so we recorded Most of All. He came in not knowing the song at all, but he sat down, learned it, internalized it and put in the work it took to make it magical."
Thomas also spoke of his love for the music he's been performing for almost half of a decade. "The biggest blessing for me is that I never get tired of the songs I have had the privilege to share with the world. I still feel an emotional connection to them, and as they bring back great memories for me, they affect me the same way they might touch a longtime fan of my music. I never planned any of this out, so to be able to express myself in music and have that as a vehicle for my life for as long as I have is something I am always grateful for. There are so many thrills, satisfactions and great adventures I’ve had being involved in this for so many years, and I’m excited to have the opportunity with The Living Room Sessions to present some of my favorite songs in a different setting that feels just like home."
The album was produced by Nashville veteran Kyle Lehning at Sound Stage Studio with the help of some of the city's best studio musicians.
Sandy Knox, president and owner of Wrinkled Records, said "I don’t know if we can put into words how thrilled we are here at Wrinkled Records, to have the opportunity to work with such a musical icon like B.J. Thomas. All of the hit songs he has recorded are like grand pieces of musical history. It has been exciting for all of those who have been involved in this project, because B.J. has never done this type of album before in his legendary career."
The album's track list: Don't Worry Baby I Just Can't Help Believing (with Vince Gill)Most Of All (with Keb’ Mo’) Eyes of a New York Woman (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song (with Richard Marx) I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (with Isaac Slade) Rock and Roll Lullaby (with Steve Tyrell) New Looks From an Old Lover (with Etta Britt) Old Fashioned Love Hooked On A Feeling (with Sara Niemietz) Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (with Lyle Lovett) Everybody's Out Of Town -- submitted by Tom Cuddy (from Vintage Vinyl News)Wow, sounds like some interest collaborations here on this one ... will have to keep my eyes (and ears) open when this come out. (LOVE B.J. Thomas!!! He's going to be touring with Paul Revere and the Raiders in 2014 as part of next year's "Where The Action Is Tour"!) kk

Weather Control Vote: way far-fetched! Won't happen for another 1,000 years! or maybe even never!

The people who wrote this article went over the top, but I wouldn't blame them because we went from horses and carts to cars and airplanes in one century. It is now the year 2013. Some things in this article may come soon. We've already had people walk on the moon and the first color TV.Shelley

re: SAD STUFF:

I'm so sorry. I had not heard about Wild Bill. This has been a devastating few months for me, but I wanted to send my sympathy. I so enjoyed him on your site. I will miss him, so I am sure you and others will miss him even more.

Shelley Yes, it's been a tough year ... we lost quite a few Forgotten His readers over the past 12 or 13 months. Bill had such a passion for radio and all things musical. (One of the obituaries I read said that he loved The Byrds and Irish Setters ... and that was Bill Cody in a nutshell.) He will be missed. (kk)

Long time FH Reader Rich Grunke passed away this past month, too. Ironically, he contacted me a few months back and told me he didn't have long to live. Over the years he has posted numerous musical tie-ins to our Forgotten Hits articles including (at one point in time) all Top 200 Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides so fans could go to his site and listen. Shortly before he passed he sent me a flashdrive of some of his all-time favorite music ... said he wanted me to have it (as the music meant so much to him.) I had no idea his time remaining would be so short-lived.I found out about his passing through FH Reader Clark Besch: Sad to say that fellow fellow Lincolnite FH reader participant Rich Grunke passed away this past Dec 13. I did not read about it and just found out. Rich had a treasure trove of music that he was nice enough to share with me from over the years, as well as with FH readers. We had lunch just a month earlier and he was in bad health at the time and he and his son were doing the bucket list trips he always wanted to take, so it was good that he had some time. I am glad he got to go on a cruise and to Cleveland's baseball stadium before his death as he always hoped. Rich was a great guy.
His obituary:http://www.aspenaftercare.com/obituaries/details.php?id=1161&range=currentClark Besch

Hey Kent,
I was sad to hear the news of Sammy Johns' passing. Every time hear his hit, "Chevy Van" (aka "another one of those damn hippy songs"), I think of former "Shindig" host, Jimmy O'Neil. In 1975, he was the mid-day personality at one of our top-40 stations. After playing the record, O'Neil said, "Nice story, but easier said than done, my friends." I'll never forget that. "Chevy Van" was truly a song of its time, and always invoked the imagination!
- John LaPuzza

Tandyn Almer, who co-wrote the Association hit "Along Comes Mary", and the Beach Boys' "Sail On Sailor" with Brian Wilson, died Tuesday (January 8) from complications of respiratory and cardiac illnesses at his home in McLean, Virginia. He was 70.

-- Ron Smith

And here's another sad tale ...

Hey Kent,

I thought you might want to share this. It's a sad day for Joe Bennett and I know how you feel about musicians.

re: HELPING OUT OUR READERS: Can you please tell me the flip side to Paul Young’s “Come Back”???? I have the 45 back home in Pittsburgh, and I now live in TN and it’s driving me crazy because I hear it on Sirius XM radio 1st Wave once in a while.

Thank You,

Lee Ann If you're referring to "Come Back And Stay", his #22 Hit from 1984 (GREAT track, by the way!), the B-Side was a song called "Yours". Hope that helps! (kk) You are a lifesaver!!! Thank you soo much!!!

What else will you find there? All kinds of archived goodies like four pages worth of your "First 45" memories ... our "Who Played The First Beatles Record In America" series ... The Music of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart (followed by an exclusive FH interview with Bobby Hart) ... a look back at The Ed Sullivan Show (followed by our interview with Andrew Solt) ... our interview with Peter Noone ... profiles of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimi Hendrix and Dusty Springfield ... "The Stories Behind The Songs" ... and all of our famous countdowns, like: The Top 200 Favorite Forgotten B-Sides, The Top 200 Biggest Two-Sided Hits Of All Time, Your Top 20 All-Time Favorite Psychedelic Songs, Your Top 50 All-Time Favorite Instrumentals, The Greatest Hits Of Summer, and much, much more.

If you haven't visited for awhile, you're in for HOURS (if not DAYS!) of enjoyment.

Everybody knows that Elvis Presley was the top hit-maker of the 1950s, but who was the top female hit-maker of the decade? Move to the front of the class if you know that it was Patti Page, who died yesterday at age 85. Page had four #1 hits in that decade, including “The Tennessee Waltz,” which was one of the decade’s biggest hits. Page’s other chart-toppers were “All My Love (Bolero),” “I Went To Your Wedding” and the novelty tune “The Doggie In The Window,” which did little to enhance her artistic reputation, but remains one of her best-known songs.

Just last month, Page was announced as one of this year’s recipients of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Remarkably, she is the second recipient to have died since the announcements were made on Dec. 10. World music legend Ravi Shankar died the day after the announcements. (Both awards will be made posthumously next month.)

Neil Portnow, President and CEO of the Recording Academy, made note of Page’s death in a statement: “I recently had the privilege of speaking with Ms. Page and informing her that she would be recognized with The Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award this upcoming February, and she was grateful and excited to be receiving the honor.”Page, who was born Clara Ann Fowler in Muskogee, Okla., was one of 11 children. Page landed her biggest hit in 1950, when she was just 23. "The Tennessee Waltz" spent 13 weeks at #1. It is tied with "Goodnight Irene" by Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra and the Weavers for the longest run at #1 by any hit in the 1950s. Page's recording of "The Tennessee Waltz" was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.Page was nicknamed "The Singin' Rage" in the 1950s, and it's easy to see why. She and Presley are the only artists who topped the pop chart for eight or more weeks with three different songs in that decade. She scored with "The Tennessee Waltz," "I Went To Your Wedding" and "The Doggie In The Window." He scored with "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog," "All Shook Up" and "Heartbreak Hotel."All but five of Page’s 24 top 10 hits occurred prior to 1955, but her rock-era hits include two of her biggest and most memorable, 1956’s “Allegheny Moon” and 1957’s “Old Cape Cod.” The latter song was referenced in the Beach Boys’ wistful 1971 ballad “Disney Girls” (which was written by Bruce Johnston): “Patti Page and summer days/On old Cape Cod.” Page’s top 20 hits spanned three decades. She first reached the top 20 in the summer of 1948 with “Confess.” She made the top 10 for a final time in 1965 with the title song to the movie “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte” (which starred Bette Davis and Olivia De Havilland). Page sang the song on the Oscars in April 1965.Page had success with two other movie title songs: 1958’s “Another Time, Another Place” (starring Lana Turner) and 1962’s “The Boys’ Night Out” (starring James Garner). Page’s most successful albums were Christmas With Patti Page, first released in 1955, and Manhattan Tower, which reached the top 20 in 1956.Page also found success with a few songs from Broadway shows, namely “So In Love” (from Kiss Me, Kate), “Steam Heat” (from The Pajama Game) and “The Sound Of Music” (from the musical of the same name which starred Mary Martin).Page’s other notable hits included “Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart” (a collabo with Vic Damone), “With My Eyes Wide Open I’m Dreaming” (which was credited to Patti Page Quartet), “Mockin’ Bird Hill” and “Cross Over The Bridge.”The warm tones in Page's voice made her a natural for country music. She reached the top 20 on the country chart with four songs: 1949’s “Money, Marbles And Chalk,” 1950’s “The Tennessee Waltz” (which reached #2 country), 1962’s “Go On Home” and “Hello We’re Lonely,” a 1972 collabo with Tom T. Hall.Page also starred in a few TV shows: The Patti Page Show (1956, a summer replacement for The Perry Como Show), The Big Record (1957-1958) and The Patti Page Olds Show (1958-1959). Most of Page’s biggest hits pre-date the 1958 inception of the Grammy Awards, but Page won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance for her 1998 album Live At Carnegie Hall—The 50th Anniversary Concert. She was the second female artist to win in that category, following Natalie Cole (whose father, Nat “King” Cole, was a contemporary of Page’s from 1948 until his death in 1965).So who exactly were the top female hit-makers of the 1950s? According to Joel Whitburn Presents A Century Of Pop Music, the top female hit-makers for that decade were, in order, Page, Kay Starr, Rosemary Clooney, Jo Stafford, Teresa Brewer, Georgia Gibbs, Doris Day and Joni James.

Patti Page was not just another 50's singer, though I loved each and every one of them from that era. Patti was the one I spent most of my summers with along the Allegheny River. A milk shake, a hamburger, and listening to her records on Mrs. Carson's juke box on Route 62, is a perfect memory of mine. Years later, I would do The Mike Douglas Show with her. It all happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to tell her what she meant to me growing up and singing harmony along with her. Rushing into a studio, then off to another city was my new way of life. Having hit records was what it was all about for me at that time. Now, I wish I could have told her how pretty she was, how talented, and how kind she was to me when I was starting out. Allegheny Moon will remain my favorite ... she wove such a spell for me as she sang. Thank you, Patti!

Lou Christie

re: DICK CLARK:

The NON-tribute to recently deceased DICK CLARK on another of HIS creations, DICK CLARK'S ROCKIN' NEW YEARS EVE, was a poor attempt at honoring him! The network should have insisted on a better job as they squeezed a few more dollars from his corpse!The problem is probably as simple as the people who put the show together being too young to remember Dick's iconic status, and his contribution to rock-and-roll ... So they 'honored' a game show host instead! (get him in, get him out) This same problem has popped up before ... i.e. ... the COLUMBO re-boot and The NEW PERRY MASON,
re-boots of two long-running, wildly successful shows that are part of pop culture history.I swear, as a student of both original shows, that whoever wrote and made the 'new' shows, must not have done much research from the originals. THEY MISSED THE MARK BY A MILE!!! Perhaps too young to have seen them the first time around, the creators pissed-on both shows and totally missed the 'charm' of the originals.RENFIELD

Not all of the Dick Clark press has been flattering of late ... "Wages Of Spin" (scan back to 2008 for several pieces on this documentary) has been showing on PBS Stations all over the country ... and is now part of The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Online Archives, too. Producer Shawn Swords tells us: TheCharlie Gracie "Fabulous" Edition will be up on the online archives soon!!!! Click here: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

And, speaking of Dick Clark (and the Golden Bandstand Days), here's an update on a Philly Guy who seems to be on the mend ...

Thursday, January 10, 2013

re: SAMMY JOHNS: Got this sad notice from a few Forgotten Hits Readers this week. Naturally every good radio station played "Chevy Van" in Sammy's honor ... of course the REALLY good radio stations have been playing it all along! I never grew tired of hearing this Top Five Hit ... which went all the way to #1 here in Chicago. (kk)

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Sammy Johns of Chevy Van Fame, Dead at 66Sammy Johns, who lit up the airwaves in 1975 with his hit Chevy Van, passed away last Friday in Gaston, NC at the age of 66.
Johns took up the guitar at the age of nine and had his own band called the Devilles while a teen. In 1973, he moved to Atlanta where he was signed to General Recording Corporation who released his first single, the minor hit Early Morning Love (1974/#68 Pop/#79 Country). It was during this time that he also recorded his story of a one-night stand in the back of a van, but the company chose not to release it.Chevy Van finally saw the light of day two years later via GRC Records and it went up to number 5 in the U.S., giving Johns a gold record.
Johns continued to record for labels like New World Records and Elektra, but it was his songs and not his recordings that were key for the rest of his life. Among his many songs that were hits by other were Common Man (John Conlee), America(Waylon Jennings) and Desperado Love (Conway Twitty).
On a personal level, Johns had battles with both alcohol and drugs and was married several times. He is survived by a sister.-- submitted by Tom Cuddy

"CHEVY VAN" SINGER SAMMY JOHNS DIES
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The singer-songwriter who made "Chevy Van" a hit in 1975 has died. The Charlotte Observer reports Sammy Johns died Friday at the age of 66. A cause of death was not given. Johns recorded "Chevy Van" in 1973 but it was nearly 18 months later before it was released. It peaked at number five and sold more than 3 million copies. Johns had said the song wasn't about a specific woman. Johns never had another hit of his own, but he wrote "America" for Waylon Jennings and "Common Man" for John Conlee.

-- You probably saw this, however, I thought I would send you the A.P. story. I interviewed him about 10 years ago. I have attached a minute or so of our conversation about Chevy Van. Phil Nee - WRCO

re: ROMEO'S TUNE: Romeo's Tune???You don't listen to any "Lite FM" stations, do you, Kent? This sounds right down their alley.
True story: Back in the day I actually thought this singer was ... Eric Clapton. [blush]
-- BOB FRABLE

I love it. Thanks Kent. Didn't know you had a connection there with Steve's bass player. Be Well, Carl

re: UP-COMING SHOWS: Some GREAT new shows have just been added to The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL ...

January 19th - Jim Peterik's World Stage (featuring Jim Peterik, Dave Bickler of Survivor, Jeff Adams of Starship, Toby Hitchcock of Pride of Lions, Leslie Hunt, The Ides Of March, Lisa McClowry and much, much more

Quite a few interesting concerts on this list ... which inspired me to feature Helen Reddy's #5 Hit from 1975 as Today's Forgotten Hit ...

re: ON THE RADIO:

I was
just just informed by Nan Seidl that a former colleague, Wild bill' Cody passed
away over theI was just I I was just informed by Nan Seidl that a
former colleague, Wild bill' Cody passed away over the holidays. While we were
acquainted with one another - we never worked together, but Bill was always very
encouraging to our efforts with JST KLSX and a tremendous supporter of Kent
Kotal's Forgotten Hits from Chicago and a regular contributor. I am dismayed at
his passing, and hope that some of his 'material' and former airwork will make
it to the Airwaves. Rest in Peace Bill --- you were one of the ones who
understood the problems of the radio industry and still did not let it bother
you, as you always were reminding me to keep working toward a "new solution" and
were always encouraging me to 'Keep doing what you're doing Mason ... it's going
to work!" R.I.P my friend.

Yes, how sad ... I found out a couple days
after he passed on Christmas Day. A great guy ... a friend and a true supporter
of Forgotten Hits ... with a wealth of radio background and a true love for the
medium. (I had always hoped you two guys would pair up! I always imagined great
things you could have done together.) Too bad. (kk)

Hey Kent,Been enjoying the readings lately.
I'm part of an online discussion board about radio, and naturally, the topic of
"tune-out" was brought up on a
Classic Hits thread. Anyway, I thought you might be interested in some of the
comments. Of course, the corporate "know it
alls" showed up and brought their testing with them, but essentially it is the
debate that outlines our issue as
listeners -- why we "can't" hear the good stuff. A few good folks take our same
stance in that oldies radio is
too narrow minded, but it is the stubbornness of the industry people that really
irks me. Anyway, it's an obnoxiously long
50+ pages of reading (I know you
got plenty of other stuff to do) but thought you might be interested in seeing
this.http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=221185.0

If you have any problems with the link, try this:

-www.radiodiscussions.com

-scroll down past the "markets sections"

-at the bottom of the formats category is "60s/70s/80s Classic Hits"

-The Title of the thread is "Which is the bigger tune-out
factor"

For the Cause!,Biondi4MayorajkAnybody listening to radio today
KNOWS what's wrong with radio ... and the worst part of all is that they give you no incentive to stay tuned
in by playing the same cycle of music over and over again. (We used to listen to the radio for HOURS ... we couldn't get enough ... today's programming is designed for about a ten minute attention span ... what a waste of resources!) We keep hoping
SOMEBODY out there in terrestrial radioland will DO something about it ... and
make things interesting again. Meanwhile, it sounds like most of the people who
really LOVE music have already sought out (and found) alternate sources to enjoy
it. Too bad ... the radio consultants are so focused on what they THINK we want
to hear that they didn't even notice their core audience disappear.
(kk)

Kent,I'll be
presenting my next YesterYear Countdown show this Sunday, January 13, at 7 PM
Eastern Time. I'll be counting
down the Top 25 hits as they were on the second weekend of January in the year
1950, 63 years ago. Here's the link
to the page with all the information about the show. It includes easy access to
it as well as a sneak preview consisting of nine sound bites from the
show.

Hello. Picked up a last year
(2012), Special Edition copy of Billboard magazine at a local deli. Honestly, it
looks more like a female-related magazine, with bra and panty ads and with
Disney's, Justin Beaver boy on the cover! :)Anyway, just experimenting here
with various audio players. The page takes a bit of time to load, but, once
loaded, all snippets should play in their entirety.http://www.angelfire.com/empire/abpsp/snippets.htmlBest,
JohnSome rare
alternate and stereo mixes can be found at this link ... check it out!Yes, Billboard and
Rolling Stones don't even seem to be about the music much anymore ... years ago,
after months and months of covers featuring nothing but scantily-clad women,
Rolling Stone put a picture of The Beatles on their cover. I had to write them
and point out ... "Wow ... nary an erect nipple in sight ... if I didn't know
any better, I'd swear this issue of Rolling Stone was actually about the music
again ... like it's supposed to be." Evidently I hit a nerve ... because they
ran my letter in their next issue! (kk)

Lots a press this week
because of what would have been Elvis Presley's 78th Birthday. It seems that
Billboard Magazine is going out of its way to disassociate itself with all of
Elvis' hits before the official start of "The Hot 100." Radio has already all but
abandoned The King Of Rock and Roll ... you're not likely to hear ANYTHING
before "Suspicious Minds" anymore ... now Billboard wants to eliminate Elvis'
first 32 chart hits,too. Think about that for a second ... how many artists had 32
hits in their entire career?!?! And this track record represents just a little over 20% of
his total chart output!

And look at some of the titles that "don't count"
anymore: Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel, Heartbreak Hotel, Teddy Bear, All Shook Up,
Love Me Tender, Blue Suede Shoes, Love Me, Jailhouse Rock ... these are hit
songs that other artists would have KILLED to record ... and some of the biggest rock and roll hits of all time.

It's bad enough that the
music of the '50's has completely disappeared from the terrestrial radio
airwaves ... but this is just sacrilege!!! In the eyes of far too many people in power today, Elvis
is now just part of a by-gone era ... like Bing Crosby in the '30's and 40's
... Frank Sinatra in the '40's and '50's ... or Valentino in the '20's ...
except none of THOSE artists revolutionized the way music was made. None of THOSE artists influenced the next four generations of rock and roll to come.

Rock and
Roll Music is the longest-lasting musical art form of modern times. Every
artist today was in some way influenced and fashioned in the image of the rock
and roll music that took the world by storm in the 1950's. Now they may be
seven degrees of separation apart from it ... but every sound influenced every
new sound and so on there after ... forever more ... and now we want to pretend
that NONE of this is significant anymore ... and that's just WRONG!!!
(kk)

London,
UK - Hot on the heels of their recent critically acclaimed album release 'New
York Connection', UK rock legends SWEET have released a new live CD only
available by digital download. Performing the band's most famous and influential
album from 1974 'Desolation Boulevard' live, SWEET's 'Desolation Boulevard
Revisited' recaptures the album in concert with all of the raw energy that can
only come from a live performance. Originally titled 'Sweet Fanny Adams' in the
UK, the 1974 US release of the album, re-titled 'Desolation Boulevard', was a
turning point for the band featuring, for the first time, more of a hard rock
sound. The album yielded classic hits such as 'Ballroom Blitz', 'Fox On The Run'
and 'The Six Teens', catapulting the band to international stardom!

Says
original member Andy Scott, “SWEET's 'Desolation Boulevard' album was
groundbreaking back in 1974 and proved to be a major influence on soon to be
famous rock bands such as Kiss, Motley Crue, Def Leppard and many more. The
album was a tightly produced collection of Power Pop Heavy Rock Radio Friendly
tunes that still sound great today. This was the album that accelerated SWEET
into a Major Headlining Touring Band in the '70s, a testament of anyone who saw
the band 'live'. Several of the songs from the album have been covered by other
artists which pays true homage to a great band. Now in 2013 we have 'Desolation
Boulevard Revisited'. A 'live' album release, almost 40 years on from the
original but sounding as fresh as the day the songs were conceived. This is a
'must' for SWEET fans everywhere!”

“Without The Sweet there would not have been
a Kiss”

GENE SIMMONS

“Mötley Crüe wanted to be The
Sweet”

NIKKI SIXX

“The Sweet are the band that I wish I had been
in”

JOE ELLIOTT, DEF LEPPARD

With
worldwide album sales of more than 55 million copies, SWEET have notched 34
Number One smashes across the globe as part of a run of timeless hits that
includes ‘Blockbuster!’, ‘Hell Raiser’, ‘The Ballroom Blitz’, ‘The Six Teens’,
‘Action’, ‘Fox On The Run’ and ‘Love Is Like Oxygen’. Seen on Top Of The Pops on
what felt like a weekly basis throughout the 1970s, their über-harmonious,
multi-tracked guitar work and layered production was to provide inspiration to
other acts such as Queen, the Electric Light Orchestra and, in later decades,
Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe and The Darkness.

SWEET
are a National Treasure, British at the core and a rock music phenomena that has
taken every continent by storm for more than four decades. The golden thread
that links the past through to the present and into the future is Andy Scott.
His determination to maintain high standards with the band's musical legacy and
touring is legendary. The band today has an illustrious pedigree recreating
“live” the high energy and soaring vocals associated with the SWEET sound that
is the band's trademark. SWEET are Andy Scott – guitar and vocals, Pete Lincoln
– lead vocals and bass, Bruce Bisland – drums and vocals, Tony O'Hora – guitar,
keyboards and vocals. 2013 sees SWEET commencing their 'NYC World Tour' in
support of their latest smash studio album 'New York Connection'. The tour kicks
off in Europe in March 2013, with more dates in other territories to be
announced soon.

Experience Hendrix LLC & Legacy Recordings Celebrate
70th Birthday Year of Jimi Hendrix with March 5 Release of People,
Hell and Angels
(A New Album of Unreleased Studio Material)and Mono Audiophile
12" Vinyl Editions of Are You
Experienced and
Axis: Bold As Love

New Jimi Hendrix
Single, "Somewhere," From People, Hell and
Angels,Premieres on
RollingStone.com on Tuesday, January
8

Experience Hendrix LLC and
Legacy Recordings launch a year long celebration
of the life and music of Jimi Hendrix (who would've turned 70 November
27, 2012) -- with the simultaneous release of People, Hell and
Angels, a new album of twelve previously
unreleased studio performances, and newly-struck mono vinyl editions of
Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold As Love
on Tuesday, March 5.
"Somewhere," a
previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix Studio track providing a first taste of the
forthcoming People, Hell and
Angels, premieres
on RollingStone.com Tuesday,
January 8, and will be available as a single on Tuesday, February, February 5.
Recorded at New York's Sound Center on March 13, 1968 and mixed Eddie Kramer,
"Somewhere" features Hendrix on guitar and vocal with Stephen Still on bass and
Buddy Miles on drums during the artists first session in America where he
assumed the mantle of producer alongside performer. While still performing in a
trio context, Jimi explored new musical possibilities in "Somewhere." The sixth
and final take from reel two, this newly available master is wholly different
from previously available version. "Somewhere" will be available as adigital single, a limited edition
vinyl single (available at independent record stores) and a CD single (available
at Walmart). The b-side of the vinyl single is a previously unreleased studio
recording of "Power of Soul" by Band of Gypsys, mixed by Jimi Hendrix and Eddie
Kramer in August 1970. The CD single features the b-side, "Foxey Lady," a
previously unreleased Band of Gypsys performance recorded live at the Fillmore
East in January 1970. Both the vinyl and CD versions of "Somewhere" will be
struck in limited, numbered editions.

People, Helland Angels will
be showcased in a pair of hour-long special broadcasts on the NPR series "World
Cafe." The album is also slated for a profile on "Elwood's Bluesmobile," the Dan
Aykroyd-hosted radio series airing on 180 commercial stations across the United
States, Canada and the Armed Forces Network.

An essential new album premiering twelve previously
unreleased studio recordings completed by guitarist Jimi Hendrix, People,
Hell and Angels showcases the legendary
guitarist working outside the original Jimi Hendrix Experience trio. Beginning
in 1968, Hendrix grew restless, eager to develop new material with old friends
and new ensembles. Outside the view of a massive audience that made him (and the
Experience) rock's largest grossing concert act with two albums in the US Top
10, Jimi was busy working behind the scenes to craft his next musical statement.

These twelve recordings
encompass a variety of unique sounds and styles incorporating many of the
elements—horns, keyboards, percussion and second guitar—Jimi wanted to
incorporate within his new music. People, Hell and Angels presents some of the finest Jimi Hendrix guitar work
ever issued and provides a compelling window into his growth as a songwriter,
musician and producer.

With an album title coined by Jimi
Hendrix, People, Hell and Angels reveals some
of Hendrix's post-Experience ambitions and directions as he worked with new
musicians--including the Buffalo Springfield's Stephen Stills, drummer Buddy
Miles, Billy Cox (with whom Hendrix had served in the 101st US Army
Airborne and later played on the famed R & B 'chitlin circuit' together) and
others--creating fresh and exciting sounds for the next chapter in his
extraordinary career.

A musical companion piece and successor to 2010's
Valleys of Neptune, the critically
acclaimed album showcasing the artist's final recordings with the original Jimi
Hendrix Experience, People, Hell and Angelsoffers
tantalizing new clues as to the direction Hendrix was considering for
First Rays of The New Rising Sun,
his planned double album sequel to
1968's groundbreaking Electric Ladyland.

People, Hell and Angels is co-produced by
Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer and John McDermott.

Concurrent with the March 5 release of People, Hell and Angels,
Experience Hendrix and Legacy Recordings will
release 12" vinyl editions of Are You Experienced(both US and
UK versions) and Axis: Bold As Love, newly struck on 200-gram audiophile vinyl.Each of these albums is individually numbered and features original
artwork and sequencing.

Taken from the original monaural mixes created by Chas Chandler, Jimi
Hendrix and Eddie Kramer in 1967, with all analog mastering by Bernie Grundman,
these much-sought-after mixes of Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold As
Love have been unavailable for
decades.

Are You Experienced, the mind-blowing debut from the Jimi Hendrix
Experience, is arguably the most fully-realized first album by a "new" artist
and is inarguably one of the most influential, significant and enjoyable rock
albums of all time.There are, however,
two distinctly different editions of this cornerstone in the rock pantheon. The
original version, prepared and sequenced by Jimi and producer Chas Chandler, was
issued throughout Europe In May 1967 and excluded the group’s first three UK
singles ("Purple Haze," "Hey Joe," "The Wind Cries Mary"). While there has never
been a mono release of the UK version of Are You Experienced in the US, the classic US version--with the iconic
fish-eye cover--was only available in mono for a brief period following its
original release in August 1967.The original monophonic mixes for
both the UK and US editions for Are You
Experienced have been transferred to
disc from the original master tapes by noted mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.
Grundman’s all analog mono mastering process preserves the integrity, while
projecting the vitality, of the original
recordings.

Axis: Bold As Love, the sensational sophomore release of the Jimi
Hendrix Experience, showcased the artist's expansive musical experimentalism
while acknowledging his early R&B and soul music influences.Remastered from the original two-track
mixdown master tapes, Axis: Bold As
Love’s 13-songs capture the rapidly
evolving trio nearing the apogee of their career with a string of seminal
classics including “Spanish Castle Magic,” “Little Wing,” “Castles Made Of
Sand,” and “If 6 Was 9,” the classic Easy Rider anthem. The original monophonic
mixes have been transferred to disc from the original master tapes using
Grundman’s all analog mono mastering process.

Kent,In today's comments, you mentioned that some of Gary
DeCarlo's singles were issued under the name of Garrett Scott of which they went
nowhere on the charts. That name was familiar to me but couldn't really figure
out where I had heard it before. Then it dawned on me. I turned the name Garrett
Scott around and came up with Scott Garrett who had a song out of 1959 on Laurie
Records called HOUSE OF LOVE.I realize this has nothing to do with the
writings and items on the Steam song but just the name recollection jarred my
memory of a record I hadn't thought of or played in years.Larry

We still seem to have a way of sparking these
long-lost memories ... kind of what Forgotten Hits is all about. It doesn't
look like the Garrett Scott single charted in Billboard.
(kk)

ROCK AND ROLL LEGEND GARY U.S. BONDS HEADLINES
FIRST-EVER LIGHT OF DAY FOUNDATION SHOW AT HARD ROCK NEW YORK ONWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2013Concert at
Hard Rock Cafe New York Features Additional Performances by Willie Nile, the
Liza Colby Sound and Joe D’Urso & Stone Caravan

Rock and roll legend Gary U.S. Bonds and his band, The Roadhouse Rockers,
headline the Light of Day Foundation’s first-ever show at the iconic Hard Rock
Cafe New York in Times Square on Wednesday, January 16, 2013. Additional
performances include Willie Nile, the Liza Colby Sound and Joe D’Urso &
Stone Caravan. Proceeds from the show benefit the Light of Day Foundation (www.lightofday.org), which funds research
into possible cures, improved treatments and support for patients who suffer
from Parkinson’s disease and other neuromuscular disorders. Proceeds from show
will also go to Team Fox, the grassroots community fundraising program at The
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

The New York show kicks off an extended weekend of Light of Day concerts
that include more than 20 events in Asbury Park, New Jersey from January 17
through January 21, 2013. Vincent Pastore, who played Sal Bonpensiero on the HBO
hit show, The Sopranos, is hosting the Hard Rock Cafe New York show along
with radio disc jockey Rich Russo, whose free-form show, “Anything, Anything,”
airs weekly on 107.1 The Peak in Westchester County and 105.5 WDHA in northern
New Jersey.

Bonds first rose to prominence in the early 1960s, when his song, “Quarter
to Three,” released in June 1961, reached Number 1 on the Billboard
chart. Bonds’ other Top 10 hits at the time included “New Orleans,” “School is
Out” and “Dear Lady Twist.” He headlined a 1963 European tour, which also
included The Beatles.

In the early 1980s, Bonds had a career resurgence when he collaborated with
Little Steven Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen for the albums Dedication
and On the Line. His comeback song, “This Little Girl,” hit Number 5 on
the rock chart in 1981. Bonds has been a dedicated supporter of Light of Day for
many years and has appeared at various Light of Day events in the U.S. and
Canada.

Gary recently released a Christmas CD titled, Christmas is ON!, over
the holidays and his new book, By U.S. Bonds: That's My Story is slated
to come out early this year.

Singer-songwriter Willie Nile’s last three albums, Streets of New
York, House of a Thousand Guitars and The Innocent Ones have
received great critical acclaim. His hometown paper, The Buffalo News,
called the three albums, “three of the finest recordings to ever straddle the
worlds of singer-songwriter fare and good ol’ street-tough rock n’roll.” A
long-time Light of Day favorite, Nile is known for his scintillating live
performances.

Joe D’Urso is a singer-songwriter “blessed with one of those unmistakable
whisky-tainted Asbury Park, New Jersey voices that makes the story in every song
come alive,” according to a show review by Paul M. Sinclair. D’Urso and his band
Stone Caravan have been part of Light of Day since its start 13 years ago.
D’Urso serves on the board of directors of LOD.

Liza Colby formed her current band in 2009, combining her own original
style with influences from the late 1960s, early 1970s and the British Invasion.
Colby describes her sound as “rockin’ soul” that will make you get up and
dance!

$25 for general admission and $75 for a seated VIP ticket, available
through Ticketweb at www.ticketweb.com.

About Light of Day

The Light of Day concert series is now in its 13th year. What began as a
single concert at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey has grown into 35
shows in 12 countries in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

This year Light of Day concerts in Asbury Park, New Jersey will take place
from Thursday. January 17 through Monday, January 21, 2013. The nearly weeklong
run of events are about to formally be declared as Light of Day Week by the
Asbury Park City Council for the second consecutive year. The concerts have
become a full-fledged festival.

The funds raised are donated to help the fight against Parkinson's disease
and related illnesses by funding research into better treatments, cures and
support for patients suffering from Parkinson's disease and related
illnesses.

The Asbury Park shows in 2012 raised nearly $300,000. September of 2012 saw
the release on DVD and VOD of Just Around The Corner. The documentary
tells the story of Bob Benjamin and the Light of Day Foundation.

Light of Day fields a team in the annual Parkinson's Unity Walk in New
York's Central Park. Over the last five years the Light of Day team has raised
$80,000 which helped the Walk raise over $3 million for Parkinson's
research.

Welcome To Forgotten Hits ... Where We're Keeping Yesterday Alive!

Have a comment about one of our posts?Simply send an email to kk@forgottenhits.comand we'll publish the best ones in our Sunday Comments Page.And be sure to check out our OTHER website to read many of our archived articles, Forgotten Hits Oldies Polls and Readers' Favorites: www.forgottenhits.com.(All material copyright 1998 - 2018, Kent Kotal and Forgotten Hits Publishing)

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We're doing our part to help Keep Yesterday Alive ... thanks to a GREAT list of music fans and contributors from all over the world. Forgotten Hits is Oldies Radio's Best Friend ... it's Radio That You Can Read! We're asking the deejays to dig just a LITTLE bit deeper and push the envelope just a LITTLE bit further and take the time to remember and acknowledge some of those GREAT songs and artists that we all know and love that just don't get played anymore ... the ones that traditional oldies radio has forgotten all about with their short, repetitive play lists. Without your help and support, this great music will continue to disappear and fade away.